One of the curious contradictions of the tech world is that—despite being an industry predicated on exacting, scientific attention to detail—when it comes to the bigger picture, many in Silicon Valley tend towards a Utopian impracticality.

When Congress’s recess began, the conventional wisdom was that immigration reform was most likely doomed in the House, and that August, with its throngs of anti-”amnesty” protesters coming out to harass Republican representatives, would